3D printing is a complex process that demands a lot from the user. Calibration, filaments, temperature, failures and new attempts currently define this technology. However, a group of researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has created CLIP, an advanced 3D printing system that cultivates the piece instead of making it layer by layer, using ultraviolet light and a liquid medium.
They still represent a large investment, filaments aren't particularly affordable, and they demand long calibration sessions, but 3D printers are growing every step. Consumer interest is legitimate, and companies are doing everything possible to develop both economical and easy-to-use options. These points might require 'closing' the concept of 3D printer, which is closely linked to the open source world thanks to initiatives like RepRap. But we should also explore other options, no matter how strange they seem. Imagine a 3D printer that doesn't rely on a traditional filament, nor does it create the piece by placing one layer on top of another. Everything that comes out of it has a smooth texture, is more resistant to errors, and as if that weren't enough, it prints 25 times faster than its competitors. Well, don't imagine it anymore.
The company is called Carbon3D, created by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the printer has been named CLIP, acronym for "Continuous Liquid Interface Production". How does it work? The 3D printer has a tray full of liquid resin. At the bottom, a membrane allows the passage of oxygen and ultraviolet light. Oxygen blocks the normal curing process in the resin, thus generating a dead zone that never hardens. Next, ultraviolet light begins to reproduce the piece (divided into sections) just above the dead zone, while a special arm lifts the print, slowly removing it from the resin.
When I first saw it, the only word that came to mind to describe CLIP was sorcery. Then I found the video where CLIP prints a replica of the Eiffel Tower... and I still think sorcery. The performance of this printer and the quality of its parts is impressive. The fact of using a 'pool' of resin eliminates the problems of filaments and extruders, and as if that weren't enough, the process is 25 times faster than a normal 3D printer. We still have no idea about its price, but everything points to a commercial edition before the end of the year. Personally, I think it's the best thing of 2015 so far. We need this.
